However, what astonished the Ghost Emperor of the Underworld even more was that Lei Dong had managed to procure a Soul Transformation stage puppet, thereby elevating himself to the ranks of peak powerhouses. Though the Ghost Emperor of the Underworld had always held a high opinion of Lei Dong, he never imagined his ascent to the pinnacle would be so swift. Small wonder that even the Old Demon of Purgatory felt a measure of apprehension toward him.

Regarding this, Lei Dong’s expression showed a flicker of excitement as he bowed to the two seniors, saying, "Thank you both for your concern. Senior Demon King did not make things difficult for your junior in the trade agreement; the terms were negotiated and settled in a friendly atmosphere."

Xie Feng was not overly surprised by this, for she was intimately aware of Lei Dong's methods. The so-called friendly negotiation and fair trade were only possible when the difference in strength between both parties was negligible. Otherwise, the outcome would inevitably involve terms steeped in humiliation. The current situation indicated that Lei Dong had no need to lie, meaning his strength had truly reached a point where even the Purgatory Demon King was helpless to contest it.

Hearing this, the Purgatory Demon King let out a sigh of relief. Although this young man Lei Dong had extracted a significant portion of his wealth in this transaction, he was, after all, a man of his word. He hadn't reneged on the deal or suddenly raised the price after the reinforcements arrived. This boy was certainly a character; perhaps they would have cause to interact again in the future.

"Since your agreement is based on voluntary and fair trade, proceed with your exchange amongst yourselves. There is no need for us to know the specifics of the contents," the Ghost Emperor of the Underworld, ever the supreme overlord, declared with extraordinary composure.

"Good, good. Boy Lei, the things you requested have been prepared by my people," the Purgatory Demon King seemed eager to conclude, tossing over a storage ring devoid of any soul imprint. "Examine it yourself."

Lei Dong accepted the ring without hesitation, allowing a thread of his divine sense to probe inside. A single sweep revealed seventy-three Heaven Spirit Stones. Each of these stones resembled the most exquisite crystal, utterly flawless, nurturing immense spiritual energy. The high-grade spirit stones Lei Dong was accustomed to simply could not compare to these. It was no wonder that the standard asking price was three hundred million spirit stones per piece, and even then, they were rarely obtainable.

Without betraying any emotion, Lei Dong transferred the seventy-three Heaven Spirit Stones into his personal storage ring. His current reserve of Heaven Spirit Stones now totaled eighty-one, leaving him needing only twenty-seven more to meet the requirement of one hundred and eight stones needed to reopen the Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land.

Lei Dong had experienced the efficacy of the Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land firsthand; it was an incomparably powerful treasure capable of rapidly boosting the strength of himself and his companions. The only slight regret was that the conditions for activating it were somewhat excessive, demanding a full one hundred and eight Heaven Spirit Stones. Given the extreme scarcity of resources in the Six Domains and Nine Continents currently, even an existence on the level of the Purgatory Demon King possessed only seventy-odd stones, and the Phoenix Clan, whose strength was comparable, held only twenty or thirty in reserve.

This illustrated the sheer difficulty in opening the Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land even once. In addition to the Heaven Spirit Stones, Lei Dong was equally concerned about the other treasure required: a spiritual treasure capable of emitting power equivalent to the Sixth Tier Yang Fire.

Lei Dong scanned the contents of the storage ring and spotted two objects lying quietly in a corner. One was an ancient cauldron forged from some unknown material; judging by the faint glow and aura it emitted, this item was certainly extraordinary. The other was a spiritual treasure with a peculiar external appearance—neither quite a cannon nor quite a crossbow. It was entirely a deep, rustic crimson hue. Engraved along its length, from muzzle to tail, was a depiction of a red-scaled dragon, clawing and roaring, its head ferocious yet imposing, holding a crimson pearl in its mouth.

Uncertain of the object's identity, Lei Dong moved his divine sense and retrieved it. The moment it settled in his hand, the expression of the Ghost Emperor of the Underworld shifted slightly, registering surprise. "How is this possible? Is this the Crimson Flame Dragon Cannon? Has the Old Demon gone mad, trading away his own signature treasure?"

Crimson Flame Dragon Cannon? Lei Dong’s mind stirred. Though he did not know its exact power, it seemed to be the Purgatory Demon King's renowned spiritual treasure. Clearly, this was an item of extraordinary might, otherwise, it would hardly be considered a signature artifact.

"Hee-hee, the trade terms demanded by this boy specifically required a spiritual treasure capable of unleashing power at the level of the Sixth Tier Yang Fire," the Purgatory Demon King declared with a touch of smugness. "In my clan, there are four spiritual treasures of this grade, but they are all owned by others. Even as the clan leader, it would be improper for me to forcibly take them. After much deliberation, giving this Crimson Flame Dragon Cannon to the boy was the least troublesome option. Lei boy, this is my signature spiritual treasure; do not disgrace its reputation in the future. Here is a jade slip containing some of my accumulated insights on its use—a complimentary addition to the trade."

Lei Dong accepted the jade slip, dedicating a portion of his divine sense to peruse its contents while solemnly thanking the king. "Thank you, Senior Demon King." Having offered this simple acknowledgment, he said no more, deciding to simply file away this favor for repayment when the opportunity arose. Although the Purgatory Demon King spoke lightly of it, he could have easily offered any of the remaining items in the exchange, and Lei Dong would have no recourse. Yet, he seemed to have offered the best one.

"No need for thanks. I also hold high hopes for your growth, boy. Once your wings are fully grown, if I face hardship, I might need you to rescue me," the Purgatory Demon King laughed heartily, putting on an air of candid straightforwardness.

Lei Dong's thoughts raced, and he bowed respectfully once more. "If Senior requests it, your junior will face death without hesitation." In his heart, he mused that if the Purgatory Demon King sought to win him over, he equally wished to align with the Demon King. He had witnessed the fate of the Demon Emperor; perhaps that awaited him in the future. Without a powerful cadre of subordinates, how could he contend with the supreme powers of the Three Realms?

Though the Purgatory Demon King was merely at the peak of the mid-stage Soul Transformation realm, still a step away from the late stage, he appeared unable to challenge the major powers of the Three Realms on the surface. However, achieving his current level amidst such resource constraints speaks volumes of his formidable innate talent. Given abundant high-level resources, the Purgatory Demon King's future prospects could be limitless.

Of course, at Lei Dong's current strength, he was not yet qualified to ally with the Purgatory Demon King, let alone recruit him into his retinue. But that might not be impossible in the future. Building a foundation now was preparation for what lay ahead. In a world where the strong reign supreme, as long as Lei Dong became sufficiently powerful, subjugating the Purgatory Demon King might not be out of the question.

Since both harbored intentions of winning the other over, their conversation naturally became increasingly cordial. As for the cauldron resting in the ring, it was also an excellent spiritual treasure, but it was an auxiliary one, highly useful for alchemy and artifact refinement. The Purgatory Demon King had presented it as an 'add-on,' but in truth, it was another means to foster goodwill with Lei Dong.

In this world, there might be killing without reason, but there is rarely affection without cause. The Purgatory Demon King's extravagant generosity stemmed from his high expectations for Lei Dong’s future; it was merely an investment made alongside the transaction. If Lei Dong unfortunately perished on his path of growth, then everything would be forgotten, counted as a failed investment. But if Lei Dong successfully matured into a supreme powerhouse, his investment today might yield returns a hundredfold in the future.

It was not just the Purgatory Demon King who held such thoughts regarding Lei Dong; the Ghost Emperor of the Underworld harbored similar sentiments to some extent. Otherwise, if Lei Dong were a useless wastrel—an unsalvageable fool—these peak powerhouses wouldn't even spare him a glance, let alone engage in such a pleasant and deferential conversation.

The transaction was concluded amidst an exceptionally favorable atmosphere. The Purgatory Demon King even attempted to invite Lei Dong and his entourage to the Purgatory Demon Palace for a visit, but Lei Dong, mindful of urgent matters, politely declined, not wishing to tarry. The Purgatory Demon King took no offense, merely urging Lei Dong to visit him at the Purgatory Demon Palace as soon as he was free.

After friendly farewells, Lei Dong, accompanied by the Ghost Emperor of the Underworld and Xie Feng, was teleported to the Underworld Domain. These teleportation arrays were remnants constructed by the Immortal and Demon races in the ancient or primordial eras. Most are now damaged or utterly destroyed in warfare, but a significant number remain intact, still functional after continuous maintenance.

Upon arriving in the Purgatory Domain, Lei Dong felt an illusion of being caught between ice and fire. The Purgatory Domain was notoriously scorching. While the Underworld Domain was not as frigid as the Profound Ice Domain, it was still a place of deep, somber cold.

Such drastic environmental differences could only be withstood and adapted to by beings of considerable strength. A cultivator with only Foundation Establishment realm power would likely lose most of their life force, if not perish outright, from such intense environmental shifts.

As soon as they entered their own territory, Xie Feng, being female, could not suppress her innate curiosity and immediately asked, "Lei Dong, what exactly did you trade with the Old Demon of Purgatory? He actually gave you the Crimson Flame Dragon Cannon! That thing, while not a Primordial Spiritual Treasure, definitely possesses more destructive power than most standard ones, making it a supreme-grade spiritual treasure. Even disregarding its pedigree and fame, the artifact alone is valued between twelve to fifteen billion spirit stones, and that cauldron is worth at least one or two billion spirit stones."

To this, Lei Dong could only offer a wry smile and shake his head. "As for what the trade involved, it concerns the Purgatory Demon King's secrets, so I cannot disclose the details. However, I can reveal that in addition to those two items, the Purgatory Demon King also gave me seventy-three Heaven Spirit Stones."

"Holy crap~" Xie Feng rolled her eyes, letting out an unladylike exclamation, widening her eyes as she demanded, "What incredible treasures did you plunder to be worth so much money?"

... (To be continued) RQ